מִכְמָר (makh.mar)
makh.mar
net
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun mikhmar refers to a net or snare used to catch animals, bringing them to their fall. It appears in only two verses in the Old Testament, specifically within Isaiah and Psalms. This word describes a physical trap designed to entangle prey, but it carries significant metaphorical weight when applied to human situations.
In its primary biblical usage, mikhmar illustrates sudden danger or unexpected trouble. For instance, Isaiah 51:20 uses the term to describe the "bouts" or snares that overwhelm Jerusalem, portraying distress as something that traps and confuses rather than merely harms. The image is one of being caught off guard by circumstances that restrict freedom and cause panic.
Translators often render mikhmar as "snare" or "net," emphasizing the element of entrapment. Unlike a battle wound which results from direct combat, a snare implies a hidden threat or a sudden shift in fortune that leaves one helpless. The word serves as a vivid reminder of vulnerability before unseen forces.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word mikhmar describes a net or snare used to catch animals. It appears only twice in the Old Testament. This image helps us understand sudden danger. We can feel trapped by circumstances that seem hidden until it is too late.
Isaiah 51:20 uses this word to show how distress can overwhelm people. It reminds us that we are vulnerable before unseen forces. Yet, even in these moments of entrapment, there is hope. God sees the struggle and offers deliverance from every snare.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- in/ own nets/ his1×
- a net1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מִכְמָ֑ר1×
- בְ/מַכְמֹרָ֣י/ו1×
Key Verses
-
Psalms 141:10
Let the wicked fall together into their own nets while I pass by.
This verse contrasts the fate of the wicked with the psalmist's safety, showing that divine protection keeps the faithful from falling into traps meant for others.
-
Isaiah 51:20
Your sons have fainted. They lie at the head of all the streets, like an antelope in a net. They are full of Yahweh’s wrath, the rebuke of your God.
Here the net symbolizes overwhelming distress and confusion, illustrating how wrath can leave people helpless and faint at the head of every street.